Electrical Contractors

UPDATE ON:

The Electrical Trades Union (ETU) has notified Essential Energy of proposed industrial action on Tuesday 30 November 2021 in the form of an unlimited number of bans on issuing Access Permits and Field Access Authorities to non-Essential Energy staff. The ban will commence at 12:00am on Tuesday 30 November and conclude at 12:00am on Wednesday 1 December 2021.

In addition to the above there remains a range of other indefinite or periodic bans in place, including limitations on the following work tasks and activities:

• Travelling outside normal working hours.
• Use of a specified range of Information Technology programs and Applications.
• Certifying and inspecting Accredited Service Providers’ (ASP’s) designs and projects.
• Verification on Life support Customers for planned outages.
• Field Staff Switching – meaning that power will not be switched off which will prevent certain planned works from going ahead.

The ETU industrial action notice also includes several indefinite actions requesting that employees undertake a range of communications activities including distributing ETU/CEPU industrial campaign-related material to members of the public and Essential Energy staff; and employees providing their views concerning industrial action with members of the community and media.

Some of the cited actions include a Safety Commitment, whereby relevant employees will be ready, willing and able to perform unplanned work that, if not performed imminently, would create a serious and imminent threat to human life.

The planned industrial action for Tuesday 30 November is likely to create unavoidable disruptions for ASP’s, contractors and customers through the possible postponement of planned work. ASP’s will receive notice of planned work being postponed on the morning of the job. Notice will be provided through a phone call or email that morning.

Any job that is postponed will need to be resubmitted. This can be completed through the usual process of completing a ‘Request for Planned Outage’ form CEOP6013 and submitting via contestableworks@essentialenergy.com.au.

It is disappointing the ETU is conducting industrial action following months of good faith bargaining. Essential Energy continues to pursue an agreement that recognises the hard work of our employees, while balancing our community’s expectations around energy costs.

Our customers, employees, contractors safety and that of the wider community remains our number one priority. We will continue to keep you updated on relevant developments as they occur and thank you for your patience and support.

What do you need to do?

1. Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.
2. View this communication via Essential Engagement.

Further Information

If you need further information, please email aspinfo@essentialenergy.com.au.

UPDATE ON:

Disappointingly, the ETU is conducting industrial action following months of good faith bargaining. Essential Energy continues to pursue an agreement that recognises the hard work of our employees, while balancing our community’s expectations around energy costs.

Last week the ETU communicated its intention to take industrial action from 17 November 2021. On Thursday 18 and Friday 19 November, Essential Energy received further notices from the ETU on protected industrial action. These notices include:

• An unlimited number of bans on issuing access permits and field access authorities to non-Essential Energy staff commencing 12am Tuesday 23 November through to midnight Thursday 25 November 2021.
• A work stoppage for 12 hours on Thursday 25 November from 6am – 6pm
• An unlimited ban on locking systems in the period of 8am to 11am each day, commencing Thursday 25 November and repeated on each day thereafter. This means that participating crews will not unlock any devices including phones to answer calls, iPads to conduct key work activities, vehicles or gates and buildings.

The ETU-led industrial action is taking place during the early phase of the bushfire season and commencement of storm season. This action makes it more difficult for small business owners, developers, famers, landowners, Councils and other groups in our rural and regional communities as they try to recover from the detrimental impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Essential Energy has reprioritised planned work to ensure urgent and critical work can be performed as required, to reduce the risk of outages not being responded to in a timely and safe manner. Daily project assessment continues to minimise the impact for developers and contractors across regional NSW.

Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, the action being led by the ETU will have unavoidable disruptions for customers, ASPs and contractors.

Safety, for our customers, employees, contractors and the wider community, remains our number one priority. We will continue to update you on relevant developments as they occur. In the meantime, thank you for your patience and support.

What do you need to do?

Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation. View this communication via Essential Engagement .

Further Information

If you need further information, please email aspinfo@essentialenergy.com.au.

UPDATE ON:

• Potential risks to the operation of Essential Energy’s electricity network from protected industrial action planned by the Electrical Trades Union (ETU)
• Steps we are taking to mitigate the impact for our more than 875,000 customers across rural and regional NSW and parts of southern QLD.

Potential industrial action

Following approval by the Fair Work Commission of the ETU’s application for a Protected Action Ballot Order, a ballot of ETU members on whether they approve the taking of industrial action closed on 4 November 2021, with members voting in favour of industrial action.

On 11 November 2021, Essential Energy received notices from the ETU of their intention to take industrial action effective from 17 November 2021. The ETU notification cited twenty different actions that may be taken, including a one-hour and 15-minute stoppage from 9:00-10:16am on 17 November 2021.

In addition to the defined work stoppage there are a range of other indefinite or periodic bans in place. These include limitations on:

• Travelling outside normal working hours.
• Use of a specified range of information technology programs and applications.
• Certifying and inspecting Accredited Service Providers (ASPs) designs and projects.
• Verification of life support customers for planned outages.
• Field staff switching – meaning that power will not be switched off, preventing certain planned works from going ahead.

The ETU industrial action notice also includes a number of indefinite actions requesting that employees undertake a range of communications activities including distributing ETU/CEPU industrial campaign-related material to members of the public and Essential Energy staff; and employees providing their views concerning industrial action with members of the community and media.

Some of the cited actions include a Safety Commitment, whereby relevant employees will be ready, willing and able to perform unplanned work that, if not performed imminently, would create a serious and imminent threat to human life.

It is regrettable that the ETU’s proposed industrial action coincides with the early phase of bushfire season and threatens to extend through the peak summer period. It also comes as our rural and regional communities seek to recover from the detrimental impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Steps to mitigate network risks

Essential Energy has developed plans designed to ease the impact of industrial action for our residential and business customers, with the health, safety and wellbeing of our employees, customers and regional communities the priority. We have reprioritised planned work to ensure urgent and critical work can be performed and to mitigate the risk of fault and emergency work not being responded to in a timely and safe manner. We do expect unavoidable disruptions which could adversely impact the network and the time taken to restore power to customers during an unplanned outage.

Enterprise Agreement negotiations

The industrial action by the ETU comes after months of negotiations on Essential Energy’s 2021 Enterprise Agreement. The ETU and other unions continue to pursue more than 50 individual claims which, if fully implemented, would increase costs by more than 10 per cent.

Essential Energy’s offer to employees includes a 7.5% increase to wages and allowances over the next three years, plus a 0.75% increase through improvements to conditions. The offer includes no loss of employment conditions, with every element representing an overall improvement on the conditions in the 2018 Agreement. The combined unions have rejected this offer.

Last month employees participated in an enterprise agreement ballot. 75 per cent of employees who voted in the ballot rejected the offer. We have reiterated to the unions our intention to provide fair and reasonable outcomes for our employees, customers and shareholders under the Enterprise Agreement. Essential Energy remains committed to ensuring a modern Enterprise Agreement that reflects the needs of employees while meeting our communities’ expectations for a safe, reliable and affordable supply of electricity and will continue to bargain in good faith with the ETU and other unions to achieve an acceptable outcome.

As we enter this uncertain period, please be assured that the safety of our customers, employees, ASPs, contractors and the wider community remains the number one priority for Essential Energy and we will be working to mitigate the impact of the ETU’s planned industrial action where we can. We will continue to update you on relevant developments as they occur.

What do you need to do?

• Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.

Further Information

If you need further information, please email aspinfo@essentialenergy.com.au.

What is Happening?

Following an organisational restructure effective from 1 November 2021, David Wilson will be returning to our ASP team as Manager Distribution Connections, and your point of contact. He can be contacted via email: david.wilson@essentialenergy.com.au.

Hamish Wheatley has moved from ASP Connections and Quality and is now our Public Lighting and Unmetered Supply Manager.

What do you need to do?

1. Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.
2. View this communication via Essential Engagement.

Further Information

If you need further information or support, please email aspinfo@essentialenergy.com.au.

What is Happening?

To minimise the disruption to customers during the Christmas / New Year period, no planned interruptions with a customer impact will be scheduled from 20 December 2021 to 6 January 2022.  

Also Contestable Works will be closed during the same period with business resuming as normal from 4 January 2022. 

Minimal processing of emails/documentation or Asset Labels will occur from Contestable Works mailbox during the above mentioned period.

What do you need to do?

1. Review your planned interruption schedule for the dates above and work with your nominated Local Depot Switching Resource to reschedule where required.
2. Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.

Further Information

If you need further information or support, please email aspinfo@essentialenergy.com.au.

What is Happening?

In December 2020, Standards Australia released a new version of AS/NZS 4777.2 Grid connection of energy systems via inverters Part 2: Inverter requirements (AS/NZS 4777.2:2020).

The update included a range of changes to:

• improve inverter performance on the electricity network, and
• support increased adoption of solar Photovoltaic (PV), batteries and electric vehicles.

From 18 December 2021, amendments to the National Electricity Rules (NER) will require all grid connected inverters to comply with AS/NZS 4777.2:2020. Inverter manufacturers have been working to update their products to meet 2020 certification compliance and listing with the Clean Energy Council.

When do I need to start installing AS/NZS 4777.2 compliant inverters?

You can apply for a connection with an AS/NZS 4777.2:2020 inverter already. However, from 18 December 2021 it will be mandatory to apply for and install an AS/NZS 4777.2:2020 inverter.

When is the last date I can apply to install a 2015 compliant inverter?

Please submit applications to install an inverter that complies with AS/NZS 4777.2:2015 by Friday, 12 November 2021 to ensure you receive a connection offer by 18 December. We cannot guarantee that applications received after this date would receive a connection offer by 18 December.

Please also check that applications submitted by 12 November are correct and complete. This will avoid delays that could prevent Essential Energy completing our assessments by 18 December.

If I have a valid contract in place for a 2015 compliant inverter before the 18 December, can I install after the 18 December?

Yes. However, AS/NZS 4777.2:2015 compliant inverters installed from 18 December 2021 will not be eligible to receive STCs under the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme (SRES). For more information see the Clean Energy Regulator’s Website News item - Changes to Inverter Standard - AS/NZS 4777.2:2020.

What do you need to do?

1. Review the information above and ensure that any connection applications for an AS/NZS 4777.2:2015 compliant inverter are submitted prior to 12 November 2021.
2. Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.

Further information

Further information can be found on the Clean Energy Council and Energy Networks Australia Website.

What is Happening?

As a Distribution Network Service Provider (DNSP), Essential Energy is required to operate a certified Asset Management System to ISO 55001 requirements.

A key component of certification is our Asset Management Policy Statement, which underpins our Asset Management System. This Statement:

• describe the principles that shape our approach to asset management, and
• represent our commitment to achieving the best outcomes from all of our assets.

What do you need to do?

1. Review CECP1004 – Asset Management Policy Statement located on our Document Library.
2. Note where the policy may apply to the work you do as part of the Asset Management System.
3. Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.
4. View this communication via Essential Engagement.

Further Information

If you need further information, please email aspinfo@essentialenergy.com.au.

What is Happening?

Essential Energy has formed a new, dedicated Connection Planning team to undertake technical assessment of low voltage connections applications. This will ensure we deliver consistent application of our Connection Policy requirements and improved technical support.

Key Connection Policy requirements

Essential Energy’s Connection Policy CEOP2513.06 is the determining document for capital contributions. It details the Urban and Rural thresholds for customer-funded and Essential Energy contributions for low voltage connections to our network.

In all cases, customers are responsible for funding connections requiring a dedicated high or low voltage network extension.

Essential Energy will only fund augmentation to the existing shared network where a low voltage connection is below the Urban or Rural thresholds described in CEOP2513.06.

Connection applicants, electrical contractors, Accredited Service Providers and consultants acting on behalf of connection applicants should make themselves familiar with the funding arrangements within the Policy.

The Connection Policy can be accessed from the Essential Energy website by all customers connecting to the Essential Energy network.

What do you need to do?

1. Review Essential Energy Connection Policy CEOP2513.06 located on Essential Energy’s website.
2. Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.

Further Information

If you need further information, please email aspinfo@essentialenergy.com.au.

What is Happening?

As previously communicated, Essential Energy will apply changes to some Ancillary Network Services (ANS) charges, effective from 30 September 2021. Changes include:

• applying 2019-2024 Australian Energy Regulator (AER) approved charges for Ancillary Network Services (ANS) which are not currently charged for. The first charge will recover the costs we incur to inspect work by an electrical contractor that requires submission of a Certificate of Compliance for Electrical Work (CCEW) to Essential Energy
• switching to a new secure online Payment Gateway (managed by the ANZ bank) to collect ANS charges via credit card payment
• transitioning some high-volume and low value ANS charges to upfront payment. The first charges to transition are the Certificate of Compliance for Electrical Work (CCEW) Inspections, Re-Inspection of Electrical Work and Notice of Service Work (NOSW). Charges will apply at the time the CCEW or NOSW is submitted via Secure Web Forms (SWF). Other charges will transition to upfront payment over time.

Summary of changes

*All Rates in the above table are exclusive of GST

The above table of Ancillary Network Service and Amounts are as per the Price Schedule for Price Schedule for Ancillary Network Services 1 July 2021. These three Network Service changes will move to upfront payment via the secure online payment gateway.

“User Pays” Principle

These fees cover the costs of services that we already provide and are expected to charge for under our agreement with the Australian Energy Regulator (AER).

Under the Regulatory Framework, we need to recover those costs from the specific customers requiring the service.

As a State Owned Corporation, and in accordance with our regulatory obligations, this system is the fairest way of ensuring the costs are borne by those who require the service and supports Essential Energy’s continued focus on efficient and sustainable business practices that deliver downward pressure on power prices for all our customers into the future.

Better Customer Experience

By transitioning to upfront payments and switching to a new online payment gateway, we will improve your overall customer experience with Essential Energy:

• You will receive instant confirmation when the payment is successful.
• You will have the option to download or email tax receipts at the time of payment instead of having to wait for an invoice to be mailed.
• All payments are made in ANZ bank environment and no credit card details are kept or managed by Essential Energy. The ANZ environment meets the stringent regulatory requirements of financial institutions in Australia.

What do you need to do?

1. Accredited Service Providers, Authorised Persons and Electrical Contractors should consider pricing changes when preparing quotations for customers regarding future work.
2. Read the Frequently Asked Questions located on Essential Engagement.
3. Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.

Further Information

If you need further information, please email aspinfo@essentialenergy.com.au

What is Happening?

Essential Energy recognises the importance of continuous electricity supply to our customers particularly for Year 12 students who have or are about to commence HSC trial exams.

With the ever-changing COVID-19 situation, we recognise students across our distribution area may be completing HSC exams from locations other than school.

Essential Energy has written to Principals from all secondary schools in New South Wales, advising that we have implemented an additional process to minimise impacts on HSC students during their exams, if a planned power outage is required.

Essential Energy has developed an online form to help us work with affected students or schools. The form is available at essentialenergy.com.au/hsc. We are asking affected students or schools to complete this form as soon as they become aware of a planned outage impacting a trial exam or during the HSC exams.

The likelihood of an HSC student being affected by a planned power outage during a stay-at-home or self-isolate order would be rare. However, should a student be affected Essential Energy will strive to work with the student or school to minimise impacts of the planned power outage.

How can ASPs help?

We are asking ASPs to support affected HSC students and schools in minimising any disruption to students who may be impacted by an ASP planned power outage which coincides with either a trial or final HSC exam.

We draw your attention to the requirements of Essential Energy’s ‘Request for Planned Outage, Connection or Work Live LV Request’ form which requires third parties such as ASPs, to make reasonable attempts to address concerns raised by our customers.

Essential Energy will pass on to ASPs any request received from HSC students or schools in accordance with usual processes.

If an outage cannot be reasonably rescheduled, we recommend ASPs consider supplying and connecting a generator so that students can complete their important exams without any further disruptions.

What do you need to do?

Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.

Further Information

If you need further information, please email aspinfo@essentialenergy.com.au.